The group had only been traveling an hour before finally passing through the northernmost gate of Port Blefcynn. Elana’s men had been chatting incessantly since their departure, but the conversations were growing more boisterous over time.
Elana’s steed nosed up beside Kalos, who had been riding next to Grimm and the other two warriors since leaving the city in a random, staggered pattern according to each creature’s gait. The girl’s steed shook its head defiantly before trying to pick up the pace in order to overtake them and his slightly more relaxed mount. Elana reined the creature back, gently curtailing its efforts.
“Da Sea’o Palms be cursed ground I tell ya,” one of the pirates announced to another. He sounded anxious, but excited at the same time.
“Aye,” replied Lugor, his voice was easy to differentiate among the group, even without looking, “Bu’tink o da treasure what could be found’ere. All the gold’n jewels of Sultra’n Norlan could be waitin’ just beyond that brink! I say, bony hands of the ole lords are holdin it out for us to take all around!”
A ripple of excitement ran through the others as Lugor waved his hand over the panoramic view of the forest ahead. They started chattering with renewed vigor, sharing all the legends and ghost stories they could recall about the various treasures that had come to be lost in Folmsae over the centuries.
Kalos glanced over at Elana, who was ignoring them all with very little effort. She looked even more beautiful during the day than she did at night. He couldn’t resist the desire to hear her voice any longer.
“Do you think the rumors are true about this place?” he asked.
Elana didn’t bother to look at him, “I believe it’ll kill everyone of us if we don’t pay attention to the path ahead rather than the pretty faces next to us.”
Her response seemed cold and harsh as if she were chastising him for addressing her in front of everyone.
“Yeah, I guess it’ll take more than a fancy horse and a tiny dagger to survive this journey.”
Kalos’ words were sharp, his tone, mildly insulting. He roughly nudged his horse onward, refusing to look back at her as he pulled ahead. His eyes fell unexpectedly on his father, who happened hear every word they exchanged.
Grimm held him with a sidelong gaze of disapproval that was hard to bear. The crease in his brow made him feel like a total failure for how he responded to her.
Kalos immediately looked away, trying to focus on the foliage instead as the strange forest started thickening around them.
“Keep your eyes open and your mouths shut!” Elana snapped venomously at everyone. Kalos didn’t notice her fall back to join her own crew in the back.
Everyone had agreed to travel together for the sake of hunting a rogue cluster of pirates into the wilderness from the previous nights’ attack. Unfortunately there were now two distinct groups separated by at least twenty paces of toxic air traveling toward the same end. They couldn’t possibly be any farther apart from one another while still traveling as comrades.
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The first day ended uneventfully other than the awkward atmosphere that had come as a result of Kalos and Elana’s curt exchange. What originally started out as a promising alliance now seemed more like an uncomfortable truce between enemies working together out of necessity rather than by choice for the greater good.
Despite the tension permeating the air, a few members from both groups had eventually given in to bantering one another, which was originally initiated by Lugor and Avestus at some point as they drifted closer together over time.
Eventually, the groups settled down for the night near one of two fires that’d been constructed at opposite ends of a small encampment to get some rest. Everyone was still nervous about being in the middle of the cursed forest of palms known as Folmsae, but the fire at least kept them warm, and the drinks helped everyone loosen up a bit.
Grimm was resting alone near one of the campfires while the others, including Elana, had situated themselves at the opposite end of camp. Kalos, after watching his dad sit by himself for quite some time, slowly made his way over.
As he came near, he realized the man was staring deep into the darkness of the forest with an empty but tranquil expression. He couldn’t imagine Grimm seeing anything out there because of how dark it was, but he still felt concerned.
“You alright, da?” The title of endearment he often used as a child slipped out unexpectedly. Grimm looked over with a faint grin.
“Care to sit?” The man waited to see how he might react. He didn’t look concerned, but Kalos could tell that something was weighing heavily on his mind.
Kalos took a seat and leaned back against a palm tree that’d been warming up near the fire. Soon, he began watching the same general direction his father seemed to have been studying for over an hour.
“Your father was a very important man, Kalos.” Grimm took a long, slow breath before continuing.
“I raised you as he would’ve wanted. With courage of heart and kindness of spirit, your ability to stand against the tides of darkness that will soon sweep over Ceirlan will serve you well. You are wise in the ways of combat and have, rightfully so, been entrusted with some of the oldest, most forbidden fighting secrets your ancestors possessed. I hope they serve you well. I know he would be proud if he could see you now.”
Grimm’s expression never changed. Neither sorrow nor satisfaction was present in his eyes. Kalos saw nothing but tranquility and a steady, unnerving sense of calm.
Kalos’ eyes were different. He was breathing heavily. He listened to every word with shock. He didn’t have the desire to run. He just wanted to know more. His mind raced with numerous questions and concerns. Though it was strange hearing such things from Grimm, he felt like he had always known that something was unusual about his life. Somehow it made sense to him even though he never really expect to hear about it.
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“Your family was slain as a result of their ancient ties to the old way when the Black King took control. It was a very dark time for Ceirlan. A season of unfathomable sorrow and suffering. As we speak, dark and evil forces lie in wait to cover the land once again like they did before Ceirlan was even founded here. It’ll begin very soon. You must do everything you can to stop it.” Grimm shifted slightly in his seat. His words were completely devoid of feeling, almost like he was talking in a trance.
Suddenly, something felt wrong to Kalos. A chilling sensation prickled the back of his neck. Toward the darkness, a glimmer of something odd drew his attention. A long, deep shadow snaked between the trees just beyond the edge of the light. Suddenly it shifted with the breeze. Grimm slowly stood to his feet.
Kalos realized that Grimm was still fully clothed from the journey. On his hip hung the same blade he had so expertly wielded during their trek through the narrows. But now there was something unusual on his father’s opposite hip. A smaller short sword was there. The end of its hilt was embedded with an ominous, black stone that displayed a long, thin vein of orange across the middle. He’d never seen Grimm carry anything like it before.
Grimm looked completely comfortable standing at attention toward the dark. Momentarily, he turned to look down at his son with an eerie, calm expression.
“Don’t move.”
From the black came a low, deep growl that completely drowned out the crackling of the fires for several seconds. Conversations ceased as the entire group quickly stood to their feet and began staring from across the way.
Their small garrison stretched twenty paces from one end to the other. As a matter of safety, the horses had been tied at various intervals between the campfires to keep them confined within the light.
Elana’s steed began snorting and stamping the ground as it struggled in vain to pull free of its bindings. A wave of panic rolled through the other horses.
Grimm boldly turned to faced the forest and took a deep breath, placing a hand on each weapon while staring toward the direction the unnatural sound had come from.
“Whatever happens,” the man commanded, “Remember the things I have taught you. It’ll be very difficult from here on, but you will survive, and we will meet again. Continue the hunt until then.”
Grimm’s eyes narrowed. Without another word he walked steadily from the comfort of the light into the terrifying darkness beyond it.
While Kalos sat stunned and the others stared into the shadows, a blistering roar pierced the night sky. Crickets fell silent and even the wind seemed to bow before the ferocity of the creature’s voice.
Suddenly, a few palm trees snapped as a powerful crackling noise like lightning traveling through the forest exploded, momentarily blinding everyone in the camp. Another roar as loud as the first vibrated Kalos’ chest. Without warning a blast of wind shook the trees in front of him.
“Kalos! Get back!” Elana’s voice echoed through another roar that came directly from overhead. The third had been so close that everyone trembled while the horses began to whinny and rear against their bindings in a panic.
Fortunately none pulled free, but they looked like they were about to kick the trees down around them as they tried to stampede away. The boy simply continued to sit frozen in place, staring up at the sky.
Kalos randomly caught a glimpse of two shadows under the light of the moon as they circled around one another. Accompanied by the sound of clashing steel at various intervals, they curved and collided multiple times without slowing down at all.
“Swords!” Avestus yelled after the reality of what was happening sank in. Both groups scrambled to find their weapons with little success. Doogin and Elana simply remained where they stood, waiting to see what would happen next.
Finally, as the men finally found the weapons they were looking for, with one last burst of air, the sound of the confrontation ceased and the forest fell silent once more.
No one knew what to say for they were all equally unprepared to help when Grimm disappeared into the forest to face the challenge of whatever was lying in wait for him.
Kalos suddenly leapt to his feet and shouted at the darkness, “Da?”
In the great distance another shriek echoed forth. The creature was so far away that the sound could’ve easily been mistaken for the call of an owl by someone who didn’t know better.
Kalos turned toward the others, “Get the horses! We must hurry!” Fortunately the steeds were still safely tied within the light after they all tried so desperately to escape.
Just as Avestus grabbed his sword and was about to run over to his horse with Lugor and the other pirates close behind, Doogin’s voice disrupted their efforts.
“You’ll ne’er be able to catch em.” He poured what was left of his drink on the ground and dropped the empty mug beside the fire.
“What’re you talking about? We just heard the filthy beast a moment earlier! They were right over there.” Avestus was livid, and sounded as though he were ready to chase the creature to the ends of the earth and back if necessary.
“He’s right! We must go now if there’s any hope to save’im!” Even Elana was ready to take off after Grimm and the unknown beast, having taken several steps toward the horses. Her men immediately started preparing for battle.
“No, t’werent what ya thought, friends.” Doogin slowly stepped around the fire and pointed toward the direction the roar came from. “T’was an echo ya’eard. Dat animal’s voice carried all da way to the mountains’n back. We’ve no way of knowin’ where dey really went.” He shook his head, staring into the flames with a deeply troubled gaze.
Kalos nearly broke into a run as he rushed over, “I can track it! I used to do it all the time in the forest.” Avestus and the others quickly looked at Doogin with a spark of hope in their eyes.
“Nay, boy,” Doogin responded more firmly, “Dat creature didn’t leave any tracks from the sky.” He gave a hard stare to each and every person standing around him, pinning them all in their places.
“Everything leaves tracks,” Kalos said bitterly, “I could go out there right now and find…”
“Belay dat!” Doogin nearly spat all over him in frustration.
“Ya can’ay track a dragon, boy, no matter’ow good ya are.” Doogin’s words hit like a hammer against the anvil of Kalos’ heart.
It was Elana’s turn to protest, “Even if t’were a dragon, it can’t fly forever!” She was now standing only a few paces away from Doogin and Kalos with an intense, challenging expression in her face.
“Aye, tis a dragon I can assure you, lass. Also, of everyon’ere, that warrior has da greatest chance’o comin’back alive. None here could even hope for so much were it us, instead. He did what he had to do to keep the rest of us safe.”
Doogin turned to look toward the direction the dragon had flown before a third echo returned to befuddle their judgment even more.
The wise old blacksmith shoved one finger into the air, “If we were ta go after that creature, we may very well miss him all together’n be slain fer our troubles by something else entirely. I don’t imagine Grimm’d be too keen to find our corpses tomorrow morn after we’d tried such a dumb’ting!”
Doogin shook his head before turning to face the others again, “We should continue the hunt, like he said before taking that dragon on!”
Grimm’s last words came back to Kalos’ mind. He mulled the scene over again and again, growing more frustrated by the second as he came to the same conclusion Doogin had given.
There was only one way to interpret his father’s command no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that they could actually help. Grimm clearly wanted them to continue on without him.
“It’s true. He said to continue the hunt... That’s all we can do.” Kalos fell hard against a nearby palm as he stared into the night some more while everyone else bitterly returned to the fire. The journey had suddenly become far more difficult than any of them could have imagined.
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